THE INSIDE TRACK | PAGE TWO / RANDY HARVEY

Ducks, Kings Are Becoming More Like Blood Brothers

As the Ducks' Scott Young headed for the penalty box after jamming his stick into the nose of the Jozef Stumpel, superimposed on the television screen was a message announcing the Kings' annual blood drive.

It was probably a coincidence. But at least Stumpel can say he gave at the office.

Round one, Kings.

On Monday night at the Great Western Forum, the Ducks and Kings played the first of their five games against each other this season. Considering that only four points separated them when the game started, it's possible the series will determine their playoff positions, or perhaps whether they both make the playoffs.

Both recognized the urgency of Monday night's game. That's the reason the Ducks refused for so long to relent to the Kings' efforts to draw them into a more physical game.

As long as the Ducks have Teemu Selanne and Paul Kariya, they can be like the fan Monday night who lured the television cameras by pointing to the Kings' decal on his jacket, then opened it to expose the Ducks' logo. That's finesse.

Only when the Ducks opened a 2-0 lead in the second period did they begin to trade blows. A couple of minutes after Young's double-minor penalty, Kariya was assessed one for using his stick to slap Russ Courtnall. There goes the Lady Byng.

But these are not last season's Kings. They still don't have a player who can match Kariya and Selanne for scoring points or selling tickets, but this team, as it proved by coming back to win, 3-2, in overtime, is not ready to concede Southern California to the Ducks.

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Sitting with Pete Rozelle at Del Mar one day several years ago, promoter Al Franken asked which accomplishment as NFL commissioner made him proudest. . . .

The last time I saw Nancy Lieberman-Cline, she was choking the Sparks' Jamila Wideman during a halftime altercation. . . .

Maybe Lieberman-Cline could coach Latrell Sprewell. . . .

Veteran cartoon watchers will not be surprised to learn Santa Monica Crossroads won a girls' basketball game last week against Calabasas, 74-19. . . .

Coyotes are never a match for Roadrunners.

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While wondering how Sherm Lewis and Emmitt Thomas reacted when they heard Jim Mora's name, I was thinking: Salute to Denver for winning the Division II title, the Clipper stat crew should be working on cheating opponents out of points instead of assists, only 34 more days until spring training.